Lieutenant John Bonvin died in the opening hours of the Battle for Steamroller Farm at El Arousa, Tunisia.

In March 1942 he took part in the raid at St Nazaire as a section officer of a demolitions team on board ML 443. He was evacuated back to the UK as his ML was unable to land the Commandos on board.

Lieut. Bonvin was a Swiss national entitled to British citizenship having been born in London to Swiss parents. At the outbreak of war he renounced his Swiss citizenship and travelled to Britain to enlist.